Culling and weed-pulling machine



J'. R. WILLJAMS CULLING AND WEED PULLING MACHINE -Filed August 2l, 1925 4 sheets-5mm 1 oct. 19,1926. A 1,603,569

i J. R. WILLIAMS CULLING AND WEED PULLING MACHINE Oct. 19 1926.

J. R. WILLIAMS CULLING AND WEED PULLING MACHINE Filed August 21 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct 19 ,1926. l 1,603,569

l J. R. wlmi/#Wis` CULLING AND WEED PULLING MACHINE Filed August 2l 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented ct. 19, 1926.

JOHN It. XVLLAMS, OF MTCHELLTON, SASKATCI-EVAN, CANADA.

CULLING- AND VVEED-'ULLNG- IVIACHINE.

Application led August 2l, 1925.

illy invention relates to e new and usetul culling' und weed pulling; machinery especially adapted Afor cullingl weeds with thicl und tirni stems out ot gri-owing); crops ot grains and presses with thin und Aflexible stems.

And comprises e simple end e'tiicient appsrntus 'tor seid purpose. having' various details ot construction, and arrangements oit parts, which :are liereinzitter Vl'ully und clenrly described, und pointed ont in the eppended claims,

l illustrate iny invent-ion in the accomlninyin;l drawings in which Fie'. nuicliinen showing the mein 'trame und position ot pulling` section trames, leve-rs and tongue.

File'. 2 is n rear view ot the n'nichine, showing the nniin treme. mein drive-shafts and benrinns both driving-wheels, driving'- sprockcts, hoisting-chains, nid pulling section.

Fi 3 is u reni' view ot the right-hand side pulling section, showing the conveyor shafts, und positions ot the sprocket-wheels and tlengrcd pulleys, with the rcel und conveyers omitted.

Fig'. 4 is n detuiled view oit the righthund side pulling section, showing' the verious sprocket-wheels, :damned-pulleys, shafts7 and ineens iter adjustingl the reel and pulling' conveyers, with the reel and conveyors omitted.

Fig'. 5 is e side elevation ot the lett-hand side pulling;l section showing the exact position oit the. reel and pulling; conveyers, es mounted in the smaller trames.

Fie'. G is en enlarged detail of the righthnnd side clutch.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of the conveyor slats.

Fig, 8 is an enlarged detail ot the reel slats.

Similar characters et' reference indicate corresponding parts in all the 'figures throughout the accompanying drawings, which torni n part of this speciication.

l designate s mein treme of any suitable size7 which is pivotelly mounted on the driving-wheels and is supported et its front end by u tongue 48 to which whittictrees 64 rfire fixed tor hitchingr horses thereto; seid tongue being' pivotally fastened to said trame, and is connected to e. tilting lever l5 by two vertical irons 47, and said lever l is u side elevation view et. thev Serial No. 51,6Ll1.

provides ineens tor ruisingl und powering the trout end ot the machine.

rThe drivine-wheels 25 ere ournziled on the axles which nire histened to the angular :treme benin "5^ it their upper ends, and to the ungut: treme benin 29 by the shoulders 5'? :ind chin'ips 58; suid driving-wheels are provided with high center rims, es shown in drawings Fins. l und beine' so arranged to divide the 'rrowinev crops and thereby prevent running' down 'the suini; and Aalso to give wheels better nrip on the ground and prevent slipping.

Festened to the hubs oit said drivingwhcels ere sprocliet-wheels 26 which are in nlincrn nt with sprechet-wheels 3l which are 'i'iied to short shiitts 33, und chi-iin belts tO passes about snid sprocket-wheels and import,` u. rotary motion on the shafts 33, t0 which :ire also tired sprocket-wheels 32 which :irc in ulineinent with the sprocketwheelsI 35, which are loosely mounted on the mein -ve-shs't'ts, und 'ere provided with teeth on their inner hubs adapted to interinesh with teeth (i0 ot the clutches. which will be turther explained hereinafter, and chain belts il passes about said sprocketwhcels end imparts e. rotary motion to the mein drive-shafts, when seid clutches are engaged.

tilziid mein drive-shntts 17E and 171*1 being` two separate slnitts mounted to revolve end to end in the center bearing A; each shaft beine,` supported. by two other bearings also, the bearings Sil et the other ends, which are fastened to the angular treme benin 29, and the bearings 30B which re secured in the brackets 3GB.

The brackets 36A and 36B consist of two wide irons bent into the desired shape with eyelets termed at the elbows7 which take the bearings 30A and 30B, seid bearings each beingl provided with e coller around the middle thereof, which is secured between seid lions when the seme are fastened together es shown in Figs. 2 and G; said brackets are bent it their lower ends and bolted to the angular `traine beam 29 und el to the angular braces 28B at :ire testen@ their upper ends the center bracket 36A is extended above the treme at its upper end and is supported by two members 43 and two vertical braces ll-4. es shown in Figs. .l and 2.

There is s clutch collar GO splined to each ot seid mein drive-shafts which are provided with teeth upon one edge adapted to interinesh with those on the hubs oit the sprocke-tmf'heel and a iiorked level' 38 is in contact with each ot said clutch collars,

which are pivotally lastened to traine braces Q8 by the members 39.

Said levers are provided with frictionrollers 62 in one end which are adapted to come into Contact with the angular tranies 7^ ot' the pulling' sections when the saine are raised clear up. which in turn acts upon the said levers and throws the clutches out ot inesh with the sprocket-wheels 35. und thrown into mesh and held in by the coiled spi'iuejs (il when the pulling sections are lowered, and the forked levers are released7 see Fig'. (i.

ln this particular inachine illustrated in the accompanying drawings7 l designate two pulling' sections., however more or less Sections can be e .bodied in one niachineas may he desired,y by enlarging or diminishing thel iiiain trame,

Said pulling sections are pivotally supported at their frontends, adjacent the front end ot the main traine` by means of the inembei's 8, which are fastened to the front end of said sections, which has eyelets in the centre thereof which take the bearings 30A and 30B and pivots on the saine. Each ot said section being ar 'anged to tit snugly between the brackets 36A and 36B; and are also connected to the main frame by tour tension-spring' 37 and two hoisting chains 5l said tension-spring` beine' for the purpose ot carrying' part ot the weight of the pulling sections, to lessen the weight on the hoisting'- levers, and are tensionally adjustable by swiveled and threaded bolts orV pins 42A whicn are inserted in the members 42 on the main frame, and are connected to the hooks 23 on the pulling' sections. Said hoistingchains 51 are connected to hooks 22 on the pulling' sections, and are passed upwards through recesses inthe angular trame 28A, ovei' the `sfrooved-pulleys 55 and 54 and are fastened to the hoisting' levers 59, said hoisting-levers are conveniently placed, one on each side ot the seat 56 and are piif'otally fastened to standards 50 at their forward ends. and adapted to work in the slots formed between the notched standards 53. as shown in Figi'. 2. Said pulleys 55 are turnable in recesses in the angular trame 28A and are in alinement with the pulleys 4 which are turnable on large bolts or pins connectinn' the standards 52 and cross-irons 63;

Each of the said pulling" sections comprises a traine ot' the desired size which is provided with three brackets on each side thereof, a bar underneath the rear bracketets, a reel and two culling and pulling conveyors, as shown in Figs. 3 4 and 5;

The brackets 3 are provided with bearings 11A at their upper ends in which the shaft adapted to work in slots formed in said brackets and provides means l'or adpisting the rcel.

rlhe braclmts 4 are provided with bearll at their upper ends in which the shatt 17A is mounted to turn, and hearings 9B at their lower ends7 on which the llangcdpulleys QW' are tul'iiably niounted g said bearinle's are held to the brackets by large bolts, which work in slots 'formed iii the brackets, and provides means tor adjusting' the 'liront conveyor. Said liii'acketff are bent at their upper ends to lit in with the annular traine TA to reinforce the suine where the hooks 2:2 are inserted, sce Fifi'. 4.

yThe brackets 5 are pivotally supported at their upper ends by means of a square rod 5A which entend across the pullingzj-scction traine, and is inserted in squared holes in the brackets to hold the saine rigidly in corresponnnce with ezch other they swingr backwards and forwards their spring' controlled manner at their lower' ends;-

Said rod is rounded at its extreme ends to corresimind with round holes in the angular traine i'-"- and pivots in saine; said brackets being; spring controlled at their lower ends, by coiled-springjs 5B which tensionally adjustable by slotted-irons 5D; said brac are also adjustable towards and troni the brackets 4 by slotted irons 5C which are it tened to trarne shoes 7B; and are provided with bearing's 11C in which the shait 17B is mounted to turin and bearings l() in which the shaft 17C is mounted to turn, said bearings being' slotted to work on bolts inserted in the brackets to provide incaus tor adinstinlq` thev rear conveyer. see Fig. 4.

The har E24 is located underneath the rear brackets and serves as a guard 'For the rear conveyor? it being securely fastened to the traine-shoes 7B at each enrhand iscni'ved up on its `torvuird edge to pi vent it catching on the Laground and to other toreipjn matter, see Fin'. 5.

There i s a reel within the .trent end of each oz" the pullinl section frames; which is rotatably mounted on the spro i'l-et\vheels i?) and 122 and flane'efhpnlleys 20D; the reel consists of a series et triannuar shaped slats which. are provided with a chain link in each end thereon see 8; said slats are connectcd together in endless chains by means ot the chain links in each end, and a loose chain link between each slat at each end thereof?. shown in Fie'. 5, and a pair ot co-op g; culling and pu I." eonveyers within cach ot said frames. at the rear o1 the reel. rThe toi'einost ot said converers 1^ rotatably mounted on the sprocl ,twheels 12A and flanged-pulleys 20Av and the rear conveyer 1B is rotatabl mounted on the sprocket-wheels 12B and langed pulleys 1S); cach of the said conveyers consists of .a series of T shaped slats, connected together in endless chains by means of the 'chain links which are provided in each end of said slats, as shown inFigs. 5 and 7.

Said conveyors are rotatable in uniform motionin close relation to each other and the edges of the said slats, are adapted-to intcrniesh with each other in an adjustable and spaced position, to perform a zigzag action on the stems of thegro-wing plants, and will frictionally grip aweed or plant with a thick and iirm stem, and pull it'froin the ground, and will have little orno pulling effect on al plant with thin'and flexible stems or blades.

It will benoted with reference to the drawings, Fig. 5, that said conveyors have an upward and slightly rearwardinclination, and that the foren'iost'couveyer.lAis longer and is mounted higher, than therear conveyor 1B which is mounted as low as possible over the bar 2li, being` so arranged to pick up the growing plants, which are bent backwards in a flattened down position by thc reel 2, which rotates at a much greater speed than the pulling conveyors; the convcyors will rotate in a. uniform motion upon forward movement of the machine, and the growing plants will naturally follow up between the pulling conveyors, with the forward motion of the machine; and the conveyors will not pull on the plants until the full length of the plants are between the conveyers, when the friction will be the greatest, and such weeds or plants with thick or firm stems will be pulled from the ground and passed up between the conveyers and dropped off over the rear conveyer, while such plants with thin and flexible stems or blades will slip out from between the conveyers without injury.

The foremost conveyer mounted within the brackets 4, is of rigid construction and not adjustable towards and from the rear conveyer, which conveyer is mounted on the brackets 5, and is spring co-ntrolled and yieldable to prevent breakage if some hard matter such as a piece of wood or rock should pass up between the conveyers, and is adjustable towards and from the front conveyer, and is also adjustable by the setscrews in the hub of the sprocket-wheel 15B to adjust or time said conveyer, with the other convever so as the Slat edges will centre in a desired position.

There are two sprocket-wheels 13 fixed to each of the main drive-shafts, which carries, and drives the reels, which in turn drives the shafts 17D by passing about the sprocketwheels 12C which are fixed to said shafts; there is also a sprocket-wheel 14 fixed to the outer end of each of the said shafts 17D,

which are in alinement with the sprocketwheels 15A and 15B and the pulleys 16; and chain belts 18 passes about'said sprocketwheels and pulleys, which drives .the conveyers, to reversethe rear conveyers saidL chain belts are passed over the top of the sprocket-wheels 15B on their backwards stroke as shown by `Fig. 4f.

The sprocket-wheels 15A and 15B being exactly the samey size as wellA as the sprocket- -wheels 12A and 12B render the conveyers rotatable in an exact uniform speed, to keep the staggered slats thereof spaced in a dcsired position; the sprocket-wheels 12A and 12Blare compact and dished'to overlie the bearings 11B and 11C to prevent dirt getting int-oV said bearings. The reel and conveyers are readily accessible for repairing by loosening the bolts in the bearings 9A and 9B and 10 to slide said bearings upwards on the brackets which will render thc reel and conveyers loose and pliant, so as to allow .them to come apart in the same manner as any ordinary chain belting.

Said reel and conveyers arey also extendible and contractible by 'adding or taking out slats as may be required.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-t

1. In a culling and weed pulling machine, a main frame, wheels operatively supporting the main frame, a plurality of smaller frames pivotally supported at their front ends adjacent the front end of the main frame, a reel within the front end of each of the smaller frames, a pair of co-operating weed pulling conveyers within each of the smaller frames, one of the conveyers being pivotally supported and adjustable towards and from the other conveyer, the slats of the said conveyers being staggered relatively to each other, and means for simultaneously operating the said reel and pulling` conveyers.

2. In a culling and weed pulling machine.v a. main frame, driving-wheels operatively supporting the main frame, a plurality of smaller frames pivotally supported at their front ends adjacent the front end of the main frame, an endless reel having triangular slats within the front end of each of,

the smaller frames, a pair of endless weed pulling conveyers having,` T shaped slats within each of the small r frames at the rear of the reels, one of the conveyers being of rigid construction and the opposing` conveyer being yieldable and adjustable towards and from the other conveyer, the slats of the said conveyers being staggered relatively to intermesh with each other, and means to rotate said reel and pulling conveyers by a driving mechanism from the rotation of the driving-wheels of the main frame.

In a cullingr and Weed pulling maehine, wheels operatively supporting the main frame7 a plurality of smaller 'frames pivotally supported Within the main frame, resilient means supportingthe smaller frames adjacent the front ends thereof7 a reel Within the 'liront end of each of the smaller ran'ies, a pair of eo-opeiatingl Weed pulling eonreyers within each ol the sn'ialler frames at the rear oit the reel, one of the eonveyers heine' pivotall7 supported and auton'iatifat ly adjustable relatively to the other conveyer, the slats` of the eonveyers being staggered relatively to each other, and means for oontrolling and operating the reel and pulling.J eonveyere.

a. ln a culling and pulling machine, a main frame7 Wheels operatively supporting the rear end ol" the i'rame, means lor adjusting' the liront end o the Jframe, a plurality of smaller iframes pivotally supported Within the main frame, and means jor elevating and lowering` the smaller frames, reels r0- tatably mounted Within the front ends of the smaller iframes, eo-operatingl culling and pulling,l Conveyors rotatably mounted Within the smaller iframes at the rear of the reels, and controlled means for driving the said reels and pulling eonveyers from the rotation of the Wheels of the main frame7 substantially as set fort-h.

5.]:11 a culling` and pulling maehine, a main frame operatively Wheel supported, a plurality of smaller frames, pivotally supported within the main frame, a reel and a pair of eooperating pulling eonveyers rotatably mounted within each of the smaller frames7 an automatically controlled eluteh mechanism for controlling the driving` meehanism which drives the said reel and pulling conveyers, the said Conveyors being` staggered relatively to each other, to perform a Zig zag action on the stems of the growing plants, and rotatable in an adjusted spaced position, and operated with a uniform motion, by the driving mechanism Connected to the driving-Wheels of the main frame, suhstantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof have hereunto setniy hand.

JOHN R. WILLIAMS. 

